Hands On
How to manage the patient with a high defibrillation threshold
Defibrillation threshold (DFT) testing is an integral part of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement and follow-up. Unfortunately, the DFT can vary widely from day to day, influenced by many factors including electrolytes, sympathetic tone, antiarrhythmic drugs, and other medications. For this reason, a 10-J safety margin between the lowest successful defibrillation energy during testing and the maximal device output has been widely adapted as standard practice.1
